This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 4/30/2023
Banishment from professional baseball didn’t stop "Shoeless" Joe Jackson from playing the game he loved. In the years after his expulsion from the majors in 1920 following the Black Sox Scandal, Jackson played semi-pro ball under assumed names up and down the east coast. As a baseball mercenary, Jackson needed a fresh supply of the tools of his trade, and for this he turned to Hillerich & Bradsby, makers of his famous “Black Betsy” bats during his big league days. This example can be dated to 1925-28 by the presence of the Type C-5A center brand, which was used between 1925 and 1933, and further narrowed down by the baselined '1' in the “125,” which was present on bats made between 1925 and 1928.
The J13 model bat displays extraordinary use and has a handle crack that has been repaired with small nails. The crack was originally repaired with tape that has since been removed, with another crisscross strip of tape now applied. A small chip is present on the knob and two chips are found on the back barrel. Many ball marks appear on the right and left barrel and crescent shaped depressions are located on all sides of the barrel. “AN” is carved into the knob and the letter “X” is carved into the top barrel. Inspection by PSA/DNA cannot determine when these initials were carved into the bat. The tragic story of Shoeless Joe and the Black Sox is one of baseball’s enduring tales, and this stunning bat shows that Jackson’s story did not end with his banishment from the big leagues. Includes LOA from PSA/DNA with GU 6.5 grade.